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D-backs snap Rox's streak, pad WC lead

By
Jarrid Denney and Thomas HardingMLB.com

PHOENIX -- Patrick Corbin turned in a stellar performance and A.J. Pollock went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs to lead a 16-hit attack as the D-backs snapped the Rockies' six-game winning streak and padded their National League Wild Card lead with an 8-2 victory on Wednesday night at Chase Field.

With the win, the D-backs pushed their lead for first place in the NL Wild Card race to four games. They also clinched a season-series win over the Rockies, which could pay dividends in the coming weeks. If the two teams end up tied in the standings at season's end, the first tiebreaker is decided by head-to-head record. Colorado still leads for the second NL Wild Card spot, by three games over Milwaukee and 3 1/2 games over St. Louis.

PHOENIX -- Patrick Corbin turned in a stellar performance and A.J. Pollock went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs to lead a 16-hit attack as the D-backs snapped the Rockies' six-game winning streak and padded their National League Wild Card lead with an 8-2 victory on Wednesday night at Chase Field.

With the win, the D-backs pushed their lead for first place in the NL Wild Card race to four games. They also clinched a season-series win over the Rockies, which could pay dividends in the coming weeks. If the two teams end up tied in the standings at season's end, the first tiebreaker is decided by head-to-head record. Colorado still leads for the second NL Wild Card spot, by three games over Milwaukee and 3 1/2 games over St. Louis.

After getting roughed up in his previous start, Corbin held the Rockies to four hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven.

"It was kind of reminiscent of his [Aug. 1] Cubs outing in Chicago," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "He comes back his next outing and then has four or five real good outings that were strung together. It was a little bit of the same; it was fastball command. The pressure that he was putting on the hitters by executing a great game plan and setting up the fastball. The Colorado Rockies are a very good offensive team -- we know that. When you go 6 2/3, 105 pitches and allow one run, you're doing something very, very special."

German Marquez has been a solid presence in the Rockies' rotation most of the season, but the right-hander lasted just four innings in his previous outing and was lifted after 3 2/3 innings on Wednesday. The D-backs taxed Marquez for 11 hits, scoring single runs in each of his four innings.

"With the lack of a breaking ball, it became a fastball-dominated repertoire for him," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "They squared some balls up."

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDMr. 1,000: The D-backs scored single runs in each of the first five innings. In the third, Paul Goldschmidt smashed a double off the center-field wall and scored on an ensuing J.D. Martinez double to left. With the double, Goldschmidt joined Luis Gonzalez (1,337) as the only players in franchise history to record 1,000 hits in a D-backs uniform. Since Goldschmidt made his big league debut on Aug. 1, 2011, he has the 14th most hits in the Majors.

"I went to congratulate him, and he just kind of pushed me aside," Lovullo said. "I said, 'Hey, you know this is a pretty incredible accomplishment. I know one day you're gonna appreciate this. I know right now you want to win this game, and we will, but when you think about what you've done, a thousand hits at the Major League level is an incredible accomplishment.' For those of us who have been around him all year long, he takes it right in stride, but I think it will hit him at some point that he's reached an incredible milestone."

Corbin keeps calm: The Rockies had their best chance at a comeback in the sixth inning, when DJ LeMahieu hit a one-out homer to left-center to make it a 5-1 game. Corbin then intentionally walked Nolan Arenado, and Trevor Story roped a single to center. With the tying run on deck, Corbin buckled down and escaped the jam by striking out Mark Reynolds looking at a fastball and getting Carlos Gonzalez on a groundout to first.

"He located the fastball when he needed to, but it was more about the slider," Black said. "We struggled against him. We needed one hit or two to get back in the game."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDSJake Lamb went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, giving him 101 on the season. This is the first time Lamb has reached the century mark, and he joins Goldschmidt (112) to give the D-backs two players with 100-plus RBIs for the second time in franchise history, joining the 1999 club that had four: Jay Bell (112), Steve Finley (103), Gonzalez (111) and Matt Williams (142).

WHAT'S NEXTRockies: Right-hander Chad Bettis (1-2, 4.98 EA), making his seventh start since returning from a bout with testicular cancer and coming off his first win, will face the D-backs on Thursday at 1:40 p.m. MT as the Rockies attempt to win the four-game series at Chase Field.

D-backs: The D-backs will close out their four-game set with the Rockies at 12:40 p.m. MST Thursday at Chase Field. Zack Godley (7-7, 3.18 ERA) will get the start as he aims to pick up his third win against Colorado this season.